Top Items:
Julia Ainsley / NBC News:
James Comey says he is confused by Mueller's decision on obstruction — “The entire rationale for a special counsel is to make sure the politicals aren't making the key charging decisions,” the former FBI chief said. — CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former FBI Director James Comey told an audience …
Discussion:
ABC News, Talking Points Memo, Axios, Breitbart, Raw Story, Washington Times and New York Post
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The Daily Beast:
MSNBC's Trump-Russia Ratings Fizzle: ‘Time to Pivot to 2020’ — The Mueller report and its potential implications have driven the network's coverage—and monster ratings—for two years. Now it's ended with a whimper, leaving execs in a bind. — Attorney General William Barr's short …
Discussion:
RedState, IJR, Politico, Breitbart, Althouse, twitchy.com, Roll Call, Mediaite, Fox News and Fox News Insider, more at Mediagazer »
Peter Baker / New York Times:
Mueller's Investigation Erases a Line Drawn After Watergate — WASHINGTON — After Watergate, it was unthinkable that a president would fire an F.B.I. director who was investigating him or his associates. Or force out an attorney general for failing to protect him from an investigation.
Discussion:
emptywheel, Politico, HillReporter.com, Daily Kos, Raw Story, FiveThirtyEight, Talking Points Memo, Mother Jones and Hmm Daily
George T. Conway III / Washington Post:
George Conway: Trump is guilty — of being unfit for office — George T. Conway III is a lawyer in New York. — Very little was surprising about the conclusion of the special counsel's investigation. For one thing, it wasn't surprising that Robert S. Mueller III's probe prompted great commotion …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, CNN, Politico, The Daily Caller, The Week, Mediaite and Quartz
Karoun Demirjian / Washington Post:
‘Undoubtedly there is collusion’: Trump antagonist Adam Schiff doubles down after Mueller finds no conspiracy — President Trump, emboldened by the special counsel's determination he was not part of a criminal conspiracy to sway the 2016 election, has an early target as he seeks recompense from his critics …
Kim Wehle / The Bulwark:
Debunking Three Myths About Barr's Summary of the Mueller Report — William Barr's missive purporting to briefly summarize Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report was, as the Washington Post pointed out, mischaracterized by cable news. Given the language of Barr's carefully lawyered letter, this is somewhat to be expected.
Discussion:
The Atlantic, Quartz and The Federalist
Chris Kahn / Reuters:
Despite report findings, almost half of Americans think Trump colluded with Russia: Reuters/Ipsos poll
Despite report findings, almost half of Americans think Trump colluded with Russia: Reuters/Ipsos poll
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, Politico, POLITICUSUSA, Morning Consult, New York Magazine and The Week
John Bowden / The Hill:
Almost half in new poll still say Trump, Russia colluded
Almost half in new poll still say Trump, Russia colluded
Discussion:
Politico, Raw Story and Liberty Unyielding
James Ball / The Atlantic:
Expectations for the Mueller Report Were Set Too High
Expectations for the Mueller Report Were Set Too High
Discussion:
Washington Post, POLITICUSUSA and Raw Story
Andrew McCarthy / Fox News:
How long has Mueller known there was no Trump-Russia collusion?
JM Rieger / Washington Post:
The many times Democrats predicted Mueller-related doom for Trump
The many times Democrats predicted Mueller-related doom for Trump
Discussion:
PolitiFact and Daily Kos
New York Times:
For Trump's Aides, Celebratory Dinners and a Hunger for Revenge
For Trump's Aides, Celebratory Dinners and a Hunger for Revenge
Discussion:
Salon, The Week, Denver Post, Fox News and Big League Politics
Joe Pompeo / Vanity Fair:
“There Was No Market for Skepticism”: Surprise Mueller Ending Stuns MSNBC—But the Resistance Show Will Go On
“There Was No Market for Skepticism”: Surprise Mueller Ending Stuns MSNBC—But the Resistance Show Will Go On
Discussion:
Informed Comment, MSNBC and Raw Story
Paul Farhi / Washington Post:
Rachel Maddow, the left's powerhouse on cable, won't let the Mueller probe go.
Rachel Maddow, the left's powerhouse on cable, won't let the Mueller probe go.
Discussion:
TVNewser, Test Feed Using Fields, Fox News and American Thinker
Susan Page / USA Today:
Barbara Bush: Did she still consider herself a Republican? 'I'd probably say no today.' — Barbara Bush, in a forthcoming book, had given up on the Republican Party. Susan Page expounds upon the story from her book, “The Matriarch.” — CONNECT — EXCLUSIVE: This story is adapted …
Discussion:
Politico, CNN, Mediaite, Axios, Talking Points Memo, Political Wire, Fox News, Raw Story, New York Post, Contemptor, IJR, HillReporter.com, The Daily Caller and The Week
Burgess Everett / Politico:
White House Obamacare reversal made over Cabinet objections — The Trump administration's surprising move to invalidate Obamacare on Monday came despite the opposition of two key cabinet secretaries: Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Attorney General Bill Barr.
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The Daily Beast:
‘WTF Is Wrong With Them’: Republicans Horrified as Trump Goes After Obamacare Again — Basking in the best week of his presidency, Trump decided to re-engage the issue that's vexed him the most. — Over the past 24 hours, Republican officials have watched in horror as the Trump administration …
Discussion:
Vox, CNN, Shareblue Media, Raw Story, Politico, Washington Monthly, Splinter, YouTube, POLITICUSUSA, Bloomberg, Denver Post, Fortune and Talking Points Memo
Los Angeles Times:
For Michael Avenatti, a luxury lifestyle built on a purported house of cards — Long before he was Stormy Daniels' lawyer, well before he was accused of trying to shake down Nike for millions of dollars, Michael Avenatti was an Orange County plaintiff's attorney living a luxe life adorned with fast cars …
Des Moines Register:
EXCLUSIVE: Elizabeth Warren lays out plan to target corporate agriculture, support family farms — Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is taking aim at some of the nation's largest agribusiness companies, such as Tyson and Bayer-Monsanto, continuing her campaign's assault on corporate consolidation.
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Team Warren:
Leveling the Playing Field for America's Family Farmers — For generations, America's family farmers have passed down a tradition of hard work and independence. Today's family farmers share those same core values, but the economics are more and more tenuous.
Chicago Tribune:
Indefensible: With no good explanation, prosecutors give Jussie Smollett a pass — Actor Jussie Smollett leaves the Leighton Criminal Court Building after all charges were dropped in his disorderly conduct case on March 26, 2019. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
Discussion:
CBS News, Daily Wire, Power Line, TheBlaze and EBONY
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David Leonhardt / New York Times:
John Roberts, Legislator — A new book tells of political horse-trading at the Supreme Court. — During a 10-day break for the Supreme Court in April 2012, several justices left Washington to give lectures or take short vacations. But both John Roberts and Anthony Kennedy remained in Washington …
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Robert L. Tsai / Politico:
Trump's Travel Ban Faces Fresh Legal Jeopardy
Sean McElwee / New York Times:
People Actually Like the Green New Deal — Mitch McConnell's show vote in the Senate on Tuesday rejected the plan, but Republicans may come to regret their mockery. — Mr. McElwee is one of the founders of Data for Progress. — Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader …
Discussion:
Common Dreams
Nancy Cook / Politico:
How Frank Luntz went from Trump enemy to White House insider — Frank Luntz had long been a loyal Republican insider — until Donald Trump came along. During the 2016 campaign, Luntz openly criticized Trump, who attacked the storied pollster as a “low class snob” and called for Fox News to dump him from its airwaves.
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Doha Madani / NBC News:
Betsy DeVos grilled in Congress over proposed elimination of Special Olympics funding — “What is it that we have a problem with, with children who are in special education?” a Democratic representative asked the education secretary. — Education Secretary Betsy DeVos struggled …
Discussion:
Washington Post
Alexander Burns / New York Times:
Gillibrand Discloses 2018 Taxes, Pushing 2020 Rivals to Follow Suit — Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York disclosed on Wednesday that she earned about $218,000 last year through her congressional salary and a book deal, becoming the first Democratic presidential candidate to disclose …
Discussion:
Politico, Axios, Talking Points Memo, The Week and YouTube
Catherine Rampell / Washington Post:
The op-ed that got Stephen Moore his Fed nomination is based on two major falsehoods — President Trump reportedly chose Stephen Moore for one of the vacancies at the Federal Reserve Board after reading a Wall Street Journal op-ed Moore wrote attacking the Fed.
Discussion:
Raw Story
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David Marcus / The Federalist:
Can Staten Island's Max Rose Save The Democrats From Ocasio-Cortez? — Two freshmen in Congress from New York City represent a microcosm of the battle for the soul of the Democratic Party. Do Max Rose or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez represent the future of the Democrats?
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Alayna Treene / Axios:
Inside the Trump campaign's plan of attack — Some candidates haven't even formally announced their decision to run yet, but President Trump's re-election campaign is already gathering ammunition to use against his opponents and mapping out the regions where he is weakest.
Catie Edmondson / New York Times:
Steve King, Facing Backlash From Both Parties, Fights for Political Life — ALGONA, Iowa — For nearly two decades, Representative Steve King pummeled Republican primary challengers, dispatched Democrats, even a former Iowa governor's wife, and glided to victory in his conservative district.
Discussion:
Political Wire
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
How America's Biggest Theater Chains Are Exploiting Their Janitors — Every night, after the last show ended at the AMC theater in Santa Monica, Maria Alvarez arrived at work. — She and her husband had a key to let themselves in. It was after midnight, and the building was empty.
Caroline Kitchener / The Lily:
This millennial congresswoman is bringing vulnerability to Capitol Hill — Katie Hill is ready to share her most personal experiences with the 116th Congress … Rep. Katie Hill (D-Calif.) ran what she calls “the most millennial campaign ever.” When she first announced her candidacy …
Discussion:
Political Wire
The Daily Beast:
He's Trump's Point Man on Iran—and Under Investigation — Brian Hook is driving an aggressive Iran policy... while he and several other officials have to deal with a far-reaching probe into allegations of political reprisal. — This should be a good time to be Brian Hook.
Discussion:
Politico
Jerry Taylor / Niskanen Center:
An Open Letter to Green New Dealers — I write this as a friend who wants your movement to succeed. Your cause is just and, due to decades worth of political inaction (some of which, I'm sorry to say, I have to personally account for), the hour is late. As the U.N.'s sixth Global …